After Corning-Painted Post junior Cella McLaughlin finished more than two seconds ahead of the rest of the field in the 110-meter hurdles at the Horseheads Blue Shoes Invitational, there were oohs and aahs from spectators.
McLaughlin, 16, has kept up her furious pace during the outdoor track & field season following an indoor season in which she won the public schools title in the 55-meter hurdles and took fourth in the long jump at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships on Staten Island.
She holds records in seven events for a Corning-Painted Post track & field program that is among New York’s best. The list includes indoor 55 hurdles, indoor 60 hurdles, indoor long jump, shuttle hurdles relay, 800 relay, outdoor long jump and 100 hurdles.
McLaughlin is a two-time qualifier for the state championships in diving and enjoys skiing in her free time. The honors student lives in Corning and is one of four children of Jason and Ashley McLaughlin. She has an older sister (Meghan), a younger sister (Clare) and a younger brother (Liam).
As a light rain fell May 3 at Horseheads’ stadium, McLaughlin talked about how her mom got her started in track and the success that has followed.
Question: Was becoming a state champion on the radar?
Answer: It definitely was. It wasn’t on the radar really until the middle of the season, when I was seeded first for winning. I got to states and I was like, ‘Whatever happens, happens’ because sometimes people show up and do their best at states. I was throwing it all up in the air and I was very … not shocked, but very happy when I did get it.
It was insane. I was a little out of it because I was like, ‘What just happened?’ But it was probably one of the top moments of my life because winning states is a pretty big deal.
Q: How did the long jump go after that?
A: As it always is at bigger meets, long jump is pretty rushed. But honestly, I work better under pressure. I think that’s what happened is I had my last jump, they were kind of rushing us. I just jumped, I went for it and I went from a 17 (feet) not doing so hot to an 18-10 ¼. That was also really exciting for me. I had an amazing experience at states this year.
Q: Do you get added motivation when you look at the Corning records?
A: Definitely, because these records have been there for a long time. I actually just recently broke the outdoor long jump record earlier in the season (held by Taylor Jubilee) that had been there since 2008, which was the year I was born. So that was pretty cool.
Q: What has gone into your success?
A: I’ve been locking in a lot more recently. The coaching atmosphere is great. I love my coaches, they’re always pushing us to do better. This season specifically I’ve focused more on the events I know I’m good at and I’ve been locking in more on track because I never realized track was something I could do out of high school.
I never wanted to do track in the first place. My mom forced me to sign up my freshman year. Probably the best thing she’s ever done for me. I think it’s just because I’ve been focusing and feel like, ‘Wow, I can take this further.’ I’m trying to hone in on that.
Q: You’ve only done track since your freshman year?
A: Yep. I joined late too because my mom was like, ‘You need to do something.’ Because I did diving originally and I still do diving. My mom was like, ‘You need to do something’ so she secretly signed me up for track. I joined like three weeks late.
Q: Were you mad at your mom for that?
A: I was at first because when you think of track, you think of running and that doesn’t sound fun at all. But I actually love track so much. I’m glad she did it.
Q: What’s your focus the rest of the spring season?
A: I’ve already qualified for New Balance nationals in the hurdles and I’ve made the (New York) super standard for long as well as hurdles. I think I would really just like a good weather meet. It’s just hard to PR in this rainy, cold weather.
Just to keep PRing, keep improving because in outdoor I don’t know what it is, but I always get sort of injured. Right now I have knee problems, hip problems, so I’m just hoping to go through the season without getting anything drastically injured and just have a good season like I did in indoor.
Q: Are you looking at long jump and hurdles for the postseason?
A: Yeah. Well, the 100-meter dash is kind of on the line because at a dual meet earlier this week in Elmira I actually hit the standard for states and I’m 11th in the state right now for the 100-meter dash. I don’t know where that came from at all, but it’s on the edge. If we want to put me in that, we could. But I also have relays and maybe the 200 to focus on.
Q: What’s key to doing well in the hurdles?
A: Honestly, if I’m telling the truth I go like unconscious during my races. Sometimes if I hear my mother – because she’s loud – I’ll kind of snap back into it.
I think the key is just not to be afraid of the hurdle. A lot of people are timid around the hurdles and that’s why they jump right over it and slow down. But you get used to it. Once you’re hurdling this much, you get more and more used to hurdling and it becomes so much easier.
Q: Any correlation or benefit to competing in long jump and hurdles?
A: Definitely. I think the plyometrics of long jump definitely play a part in hurdling. I think having a good vertical is good for any sport really. It just really helps you get the power you need for any of it. Even though you’re not really going up and over the hurdle, you’re going through, it has that same type of power I guess.
Q: What has elevated Corning track & field to such high levels?
A: It doesn’t put pressure on you, but you have this expectation that you kind of have to match up to the legacy of Corning. I think that definitely helps me run. When I race, I’m thinking, I’ve got to keep the Corning legacy strong and keep our name out there.
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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Mom secretly signed up Cella McLaughlin for track. The rest is Corning Hawks history
Reporting by Andrew Legare, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
